Kathie Lee Gifford

Born Kathie Lee Epstein on Aug. 16, 1953 in Paris, France, she spent a portion of her childhood stationed at Naval bases in Europe before her family settled in Bowie, MD. Raised in a Jewish household, her father Aaron was a Navy officer and jazz saxophonist, while mother Joan was a secretary. Strangely, Gifford converted to Christianity at the age of 12 after viewing an educational film featuring evangelist Billy Graham. Following winning the "Maryland Junior Miss" pageant at the age of 17, she went to live and work for the pageant's co-host, conservative entertainer and spokesperson Anita Bryant. Disenchanted with her duties for Bryant, which included babysitting and secretarial work, sh... Continue Bio >>